Test! Test! Test! 13BrowsersA Variety ofTest! Test! Test!Web Design in a Nutshell, eMatter EditionConsidering Your Site’s Purpose
Another important factor for making web design decisions is knowing how your
site is going to be used. Site users tend to fall into two broad categories: those
who are on a mission for information, and those who are surfing the Web for
entertainment. In general, sites that serve the latter audience have more opportu-
nity to try out cutting-edge or plug-in technologies that improve the overall user
experience of the site. For informational sites, you wouldn’t want to base the avail-
ability of the information on a client-side technology.
Of course, there are plenty of exceptions to this overly generalized rule. For
instance, WebMonkey (http://www.webmonkey.com/) is an informational site that
uses a DHTML-based interface, based on the assumption that its developer audi-
ence is using the latest tools. WebMonkey also uses browser detection to serve
alternative versions for those without DHTML capabilities. So just because you
have a “serious” site doesn’t mean you should abandon new technologies entirely.
Another unique case is a site that isaboutthe technology being used, such as a
VRML environment. In this situation, you have every right to expect users to use
the appropriate browser or plug-in to catch up with your content. (Although, it still
might be nice to at least provide some screenshots to show the others what they’re
missing!)
Test! Test! Test!
The final word in the dilemma of designing for a variety of browsers is always
TEST! Test your site on as many browsers, browser versions, and platform configu-
rations as you can get your hands on.
Professional web design firms run their sites through a vigorous quality assurance
phase before going “live.” They generally keep a bank of computers of varying
platforms and processing powers that run as many versions of browsers (including
Lynx) as possible.
If you do not have the resources to keep a similar set-up on your own, make the
site available on a private test site and take a look at it on your friends’ computers.
You might view it under corporate conditions (a Windows machine with a 4.0
browser, and a T1 connection), then visit a friend at home to see the same site on
AOL with a 28.8 modem. (If nothing else, it’s a good excuse to get away from your
computer and visit your friends!)
Although your pages will certainly look different in different environments, the
idea is to make sure that nothing is outright broken and that your content is being
communicated clearly.